Billiard-cushion.



K y Pavtnted luiy I8, |899. D. NAGH.

vBILL CUSHIO yempliemkm med muyl 4,

(lo Model.)

[yemen for.'

we Noam: Krim co.. MALI-wo., msn-Imam, u. c.

UNITED VfSTNrESl PATENT OFFICE.

DUDLEY KAVANAGH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BILLIARD-CUSHION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patentino. 629,192, dated July18,1899. Appucailimud May i, 1899. senti No. 715,535. uit man.)

To a/ZZ wton it Magnan/cern.- v p. Be it known that I, DUDLEY KAVANAGH,of Manhattan borough, New York city, county and State of New York, haveinvented a new Iand useful Improvement in Billiard-Cushions; aud lI dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accom' panyingdrawings, forming part of this speci. fcation.

My inventionvrelates to billiard-table cushfious of that type which isnow andv has been for some years almost wholly the kind made landused-namely, cushions composed each of a strip of vulcanized-rubbercompound havinga cross-sectional shape approximately triangularandarrangedjn conjunction with the cushion-rail and bed of thebilliard-table, in such a manner that a ball such as used on thetablewill when caused to roll on thetable-bed and to contact with the cushionhave the initial point of contact between itself and p the nose or upperedge of the cushions work .strokes are played-.that is, the capacity ofthe 4cushion in an eminent degree to properly repel or throw oiteither'an object or the cue ball when the ball may strike the cushionwith very little force-a capacity to throw ou a ball at the correctangle when it shall have approached the cushion at an vexceedingly acuteangle, non-liability to cause or permit a ball to jump7 when played withgreat force against the cushion, and a capacity to retain for acomparatively long time all these essential qualities with which thecushion may bev endowed when new, or, in other words, great durability.As itis a fact in practice that a cushion possessingl in-the greatestpossible degree some one or more of these desirable qualities musttherefore lacking to an undesirable extent some other one or more ofsuch qualities, it follows that to produce the best possible cushionpracti- I cally the latter must embody the happiest possible combinationof these individually somewhat antagonistic structural features. Inother Words, to produce the most satisfac- ,tory results these severaland separately desirable but in some measure antagonistic qualities orcharacteristic features must be combined in such proportions as toproduce.

a harmonious whole from which the best results desirable from acombination of such 'and is mo-re or less embedded in the cushion;

but inasmuch as the ball will be repelled yor thrown o lby the cushionwith less and less .speed justin proportion as the degree of ob-'liquity of the cushions working face is increased therefore it isimportant that this degree of Obliquity be reduced to the minimum. Ifthat part ofthe cushi'ons face with which 'the ball contacts in the caseof the Yhardest strokes played at such angle as tends to a very forcibleimpact of the ball and cushion were perpendicular to the plane of thetable-bed, the reactive power of the cushion on the balle. its capacityto quickly and forcibly throw off the ball-would be the greatestpossible;

Y butsuch form or arrangement of this part of Athe cushions face isentirely impracticable, because withit the balls would jump tosuch anextent thatV the table would be useless for the game of billiards. Hencethe departure from the perpendicular tothe 4oblique form of the cushiousworking `face must be only to the extent necessary to avoid the jumpingof the ball, thus rendering the cushion capable oflfrepelling orthrowing O theball with the greatest practicable speed. In other words,

the degree of Obliquity of the 'face ofthe cushion must be such that thecushion will be'as IOO fast a one as possible without liability of theballs jumping.

, While it is necessary or unavoidable that the ball shall be embeddedin the upper part of the Working face of the cushion, this embedmentshould be as little as possible, especially in the case of a strokewiththe angles of incidence and reflection comparatively non-acute, sincethis embedment impairs laccuracy in the angles of the stroke, and manyways have been devised and used to render the cushion capable ofpowerful repellent action without gettin gperceptible and undesirableinaccuracy in the angles of the stroke. Most of the devices or meansemployed for this purpose are generally denominated facehardening"7devices, and some such means for the specific purpose of preventing toomuchy embedment of a lball striking the cushion with considerable forceand at an angle not very acute maybe employed in the construction of myimproved cushion if found to be expedient, though in my .improvedcushion the necessity for the presence of some face-hardening means isnot so necessary as in the cases of all previously-devised cushionsthatI know of, because in my cushion, as will be presently explained,less embedment of the ball can occur with a given degree of repellentcapacity.

Asis well known, the incorporation of face- 'hardening devices in themolded cushionstrip of rubber compound as a general rule leads to theobjections that the cushion, though it may work well when new will soon.lose its lifethat is, will grow slow in action and will soon workimperfectly and unsatisfactorily, owing mainly, as I understand thematter, to the practical impossibility in most cases of making a cushionso thatthe rubber compound of th-estrip will remain in perfect unionwith the face-hardening device. In. order that in playing a ball againstthe cushion at a very acute angle it shall promptly leave the point ofcontact therewith at a correct angle, (and not slide on the contactedsurface to the least extent,) I deem itV necessary to have the workingsurface of the cushion exceedingly impressible-that is, highly elas-ltic and very responsive to the touch of the ball-.and this quality isalso very necessary lwhere the ballhas to be played very easily againstthe cushion even at a nearly or quite right angle and is required torebound only a short distance. Therefore if any facehar dening device beemployed it should be molded in or placed so far in rear of the actualworking face of the rubber strip as not tointerfere with the structuralqualities just explained to be very important, while at the same timeoperating perhaps to render the cushion quicker when very hard strokesma beplayed.

As the4 material of the cushion-strip is perfectly incompressible,though highly elastic, by reason of the great mobility of the particlesof the mass and the power and rapidity with which they resume theirnormal relation# ship after distortion of the shape of the massas, forinstance, by the impact of a ball against the nose and upper workingface of the cushion-the practical problem presented for solution in thedevisement of a billiardcushion that shall be as near perfection in allparticulars as possible has ever been to construct the cushion so thatwhile possessing in an eminent degree the peculiarities I have eX-plained as being necessary the manner of displacement of the particlesof the mass shall be such that in resuming their normal relationship thecushion will act with the greatest possible ball-repellent force. Inother words, in order to make the cushion act on the ball withy thegreatest possible degreeof repellent force it must be made so that whenthe ball strikes it the displacement of the particles in or thedisbursing of the mass of rubber compound shall be such that in resumingthe normal condition the cushion will exert the greatest possible actionon the ball in the right direction and in the best possible manner forthe purpose desired. Now, as is well understood, the cushion being madenecessarily with an oblique working faceand a comparatively sharpworking upper edge or nose the effects of a ball striking the nose orworking face of the cushion are to bend upwardly and backwardly theextreme forward `edge or nose and at the Sametime to displace theparticles of the'mass so as to produce a hump in the top surface of themass in rear of the nose or working edge. Now when under theseconditions the 1n ass of rubber compound resumes its normal shape,thereby repelling or throwing olf the ball, its action on the balloperates in a large measure to press the ball downwardly toward oragainst the bed of the table, because the upturned nose and theupwardly-displaced particles (ortho hump above alluded to) in theresumption by the mass of its normal shape necessarily produces thiseffect; but, as I have above explained,the best possible vrepellentaction of the cushion is attained when in the resumption of its normalshape or condition the movement of the displaced particles shall be suchas will cause them to press against the ball in a directionapproximately horizontal. In other words,to get the most desirableaction practically possible the construction and operation of-thecushion should be such that when struck by the ball the particles of themass shall be forced as nearly rearwardly or backwardly in a horizontaldirection as practicable, so that in the reaction of the cushion on theball they IOC IIC

IIC

pai-alia with mater the table-bea and hence the ball will leave Vthecushion withY more legs or at a greater speed than underotherconditions, and upon this theory of the principle of constructionand modeyof operation rests my invention, which may be said to consist,essentially, in the combination, with the rubber cushion-strip, of meansfor preventing the particles of the mass from being displaced upwardlyin rear of the nose when the ball strikes against the latter and forcausing adisplacement of the particles of the mass in an approximatelyrearward direction, so that in resuming its normal shape the particlesof the rubber strip will move and act so as to repel the ball as nearlyas possible in a horizontal direction, all as will be hereinafter morefully explained and as will be most particularly pointed out in theclaimsof this specication;

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my improved cushion,I will now proceed to more fully describe my invention, referring byletters and'gu res-to the accompanying drawings, which form part of thisspeciiica'tion and in which I have shown my improvement carried intoeffect in that precise form of cushion in which I have so far practicedit, though it may be carried out either vWholly or in part under somemodifications thereof. i

In' the drawings, Figure l isa vertical crosssectional view of so muchof a billiard-table as it is necessary to show in order to illustrate myinvention in one form of it or carried out as to the main part of it.Fig. 2 is similar view, but showing the invention embodied as to both ofits features or parts. Fig.,3 is across-sectional view illustrating thenatural tendency and action relatively to the displacament of theparticles of the rubber mass composing a 'cushion-strip of the modernapproved form when struck by aball.

Fig. 4 is a top view of what is illustrated in vertical section of Fig.3. Fig. 5 isa similar cross-section to Fig. 3, but showingvhow thedisplacement ot the particles of rubber occurs in my improvedcushion-strip.

In the several figures the same part will be foundalways designated bythe same letters and figures of reference, and iusohme of the igures'Ihave illustrated by circular', l u ll, and

Vdotted lines a lbilliard-ball coacling with the cushion. Y

o; is the rubber cushion-strip, made of vuly canized-rubber compoundandw of about the usual approved size and cross-sectional shape andsecured in the usual manner to the wooden lining of the cushion-rail b,that is bolted (in theordinary way) to the bed of the table, theplaying-surface of which is illustrated by the line c. It may, however,be rerear surface of the molded strip,lwhich is usually (though notinvariably) formed in the strip a, is of very (great advantage in myimproved construction of cushion and is preferably made comparativelylarge, since in the useof my cushion the displacement of the particlesof the rubber mass is so different from that in other cushions as torender it quite desirable that this cavity e (between the rear surfaceof the cushion and the plane surface of the wooden cushion-rail lining)be comparatively large.

Y By reference now to Fig. 3 it will be understood that when a ball,such as illustrated by the full circular line l, forcibly contacts withthe nose or working surface of the rubber.

consumed in unwedging the ball (as I have hereinbefore expressed theidea) from between the bed-surface c of the table and that part ot'`theoblique face of the cushion which was in forcible contact with theballs surface ata locality wholly (and some distance) above the centerof the sphere, and it will also be readily understood that while perhapsa very small amount of displacement of the rubber particles may occur ina rearward direction and be dissipated at the rear surface,imperceptibly'changing the shape of the mass at the vicinity of the rearrecess or cavity e,

practically aboutall the displacement of particles amounts merely to altranslation ofthe particles normally occupying the approxi- -matelytriangular area a; y z, Fig. 3,' to the somewhat similarly-shaped areamarked z s x in the same figure. Of course I can only describe'andillustrate this approximately correct manner of displacement withsubstantial, not mathematical, aceuracy,vand it will be observedthat'for the sake of distinctness in my illustrations I have not shownin the drawings the green cloth covering which al- IIO ways envelops theoblique working face and the top surface of every billiard-cushion in anished and operative condition, andwhile it is true that the operationor action of a naked cushion when struck by a billiard-ball is modifiedby the presence ofthe usual cloth covering what` I am describing andillustrating is substantially correct with reference to the covered orfinished cushion-strip.

As I have made the accompanying drawings on a scale of full size as tothe cushion and the ball it presents to the eye just about theactualconditions herein described.

By reference especially to Fig. 4 it will be seen that the displacementof the rubber particles diminishes laterally from the point w in eitherdirection to where the dotted circle 2 of the ball runs out of contactwith the cushion, and it will be understood, of course, that thevertical cross-sectional views are made on planes which coincide withthe point fw of the top view, Fig. Il. j is a narrow strip orribbon-like piece of some textile fabric, preferably a tolerably thinbut strong quality of canvas, that is molded onto the top surface of therubber strip ct at about the locality shown. In practice this strip ofcanvas is properly placed in the mold in which the plastic or dough-likerubber compound is put in the usual process of manufacture ofcushion-'strips and in which the strip, with its adjuncts, is subjectedto the vulcanizing process. The canvas g, which by preference covers theentire oblique surface of the rubber strip a, is also applied in likemanner during the process of manufacture, all in such man- .ner that inthe finished cushion the interstices of the Woven fabrics f and g willbe filled in with the rubber compound. In other words, so that in thefinished article as tol both the `top and the oblique faces of thecushion-strip these surfaces will be composed ofrubber and canvas, theoutermost particles of both of which materials will be flush with eachother or lie in the same plane.

By reference now to Fig. 5, where Ivhave shown the normal con figurationof the cushion in full lines and its distorted shape (caused by theimpact of the ball) in dotted lines, it will be seen that the particlesare displaced almost imperceptibly in an upward direction at the topsurface of the cushion, toa greater extent downwardly at the locality ofthe oblique Working face of thestrip, and percep- Vtibly in a rearwarddirection, so as to lessen the area of the cavity or recess e in theback side of the cushion-strip, and it will be understood that undersuch conditions as to the manner in which the shape of the cushion isdistorted by the impact of the ball in resuming its normal shape, andthereby throwing off the ball 2, my improved cushion operates in a muchmore efficacious and desirable manner than cushions of thepreviously-known constructions. In the first place, in resuming itsnormal condition the cushion pushes on the ball in an almost whollyhorizontal direction, while it operates to rather counteracttheenforcement downwardly of the ball onto the bed c (which of course bythe friction created consumes a portion of the ballrepellent power ofthe cushion) in lieu of augmenting this undesirable condition, as does acushion such as those heretofore made and used, and, 'in the secondplace, the contacting and impacted portion of the cushion not beingelevated as heretofore this nearly horizontal repellent force of thecushion is initially applied to the ball at a point` lower down on itsspherical surface more nearly inline horizontally with the' balls centerof gravity, and hence with more effect on the ball bodily to throw itoff.

Although the presence in my cushion of the canvas or other facing g, ofnon-stretchable material, is' very desirable, since it performs thefunction of preventing even the slight lifting or turning upwardly andbackwardly of the extreme edge-or nose of the cushion, yet with thisdevice omitted my improved cushion, by reason of the combination withthe rubber mass, in the manner shown and described, of the top strip fofcanvas or other suitable non-stretchable fabric, will producegreatly-improved results, since by reason4 of this combination alonepreventing the displacement of the particles of rubber upwardly at thetop surface of the cushion the latter is made to operate, as I have justabove explained, to repel the ball more nearly horizontally thancushions heretofore made.

The canvas facing g, molded on, as described, is, I know, not new, perse, in a bilhard-cushion, and it has heretofore been suggested that sucha facing operates to tie down or prevent the uprising of the nose of thecushion when the latter may be struck by a ball; but, in the firstplace', such a cushion as heretofore made is not eflicient for any suolipurpose, because when such a cushion has its nose forced upwardly andbackwardly, as illustrated at Fig. S, the canvas facing will moveapproximately into the plane of a radius of acircle whose center isnearly coincidentl with the lower point or root of the strip a, and whenmoved in this manner its upper edge will be higher relatively to the bedc of the table than before, and hence will not prevent the upper forwardpart of the cushion from assuming the higher position into which theimpacting ball tends to lift it. In my improved cushion, however, anyinitial bulging up of the top surface of the cushion immediately in rearof the nose or extreme working edge being prevented by the function ofthe strip f, as the ball proceeds to embed its impacting surface intherubber mass the par- Nticles of the latter are naturally displacedproved cushion the proportions of the parts and the precise relativepositions or arrangement thereof may be varied some without materiallychanging the mode of operation peculiar to my invention, and hencewithout departing from the spirit of the latter, and although, as I havesaid, the best results fol- .ion heretofore made that I know of.

It will be observed from an inspection of Fig. 5, which iliustrateswithsubstantial correctness the action of the cushion when distorted by acomparatively hard blow of a ball and automatically returned by itselasticity to its normal shape, that mainly by the prevention of theusual upward bulging of the top surface of the rubber mass the latterhas its particles displaced mostly in a rearward direction, and hence sothat in resuming their former positions the cushion is made to reiiector throw o the ball more nearly in a horizontal manner, and hence so asto give the reflected ball more legs than possibly obtainable with otherprior kinds of cushions.

If it should be found expedient and desirable to incorporate Within themolded mass a some sort of face-hardening device, the addition of suchdevice would not of course make the concrete structure any the lesswithin the scope of myiuvention. I, however, do not deem the vadditionof any such device necessary, and should its presence be deemed possiblyof benefit I should advise its incorving it into effect that thoseskilled in the art interferewith the described operations and 35 eectsof the structure I have herein shown and described.

Having now so fully explained the character of my invention and themanner of carrycan readily understand and practice it, either in Wholeor in part, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. In a billiard-cushion, the combination, with a strip of suitablerubber compound, or other allied gum, of a strip of suitable,nonelastic, material, arranged at the ytop surface of the cushion, andin rear of the nose thereof, in substantially the manner specified; forthe purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with a strip of rubber compound, or other alliedguru, of a device'. operating to prevent any material displacemeutupwardly, at the top surface of, but in rear of the no se of said strip,of the particles composing the latter; and a non-stretchable facing, tothe oblique forward surface of said strip; all in substantially themanner and for the purposes set forth. f

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my 6o hand this 2d day of May,1899.

` DUDLEY KAvANAGH.

In presence of- DAVID E. MGFARLAND, EDW. J. CAHILL.

